I have a question to pose to you all :)
I know that a number 9 shirt is often a first choice striker and a number 10 is often a midfield playmaker but why is this?

My question arises because i was reading an article about the newly assigned Leeds United squad numbers and the journalist seemed to think that because no number 5 had been assigned to a player than Blackwell could be in the hunt for another central defender.

What is the origins of these positional numbers? does anyone know? Am i making sense??

its just that before there were squad numbers... the numbers were assigned to the starting eleven.
1 Goalie, 2 right back, 3 lef back, 4-5 centre backs, 6 def midfielder, 7 right mid, 8 left mid, 10 offensive midfielders, 9-11 strikers.

It's tradition.

That's why a good Striker is sometimes referred to as a "classic no9" regardless of his actual squad number.

The squad number system favoured in World Cups was adopted in England when the breakaway FA Premier League was formed in season 1992-3. It was all part of a plan to make football more glitzy (I believe the idea was inspired by Gridiron) Also names were added to the players' jerseys for the first time too. Allowing clubs to really capitalise on the popularity of individual players (by producing replica kits) It also proved handy for the commentators too!



Mike

What striker wouldn't want to be reminded of the greats before him whose number he shares

well, for one 7 is the most powerful magical no. so.......................



yea its a traditional thing.

its just that before there were squad numbers... the numbers were assigned to the starting eleven.
1 Goalie, 2 right back, 3 lef back, 4-5 centre backs, 6 def midfielder, 7 right mid, 8 left mid, 10 offensive midfielders, 9-11 strikers.

i always thought it was traditionally:

1 - GK
2 - RB
3 - LB
4 - CM
5 - CB
6 - CB
7 - RB
8 - CM
9 - ST
10 - ST
11 - LM


To me they're just numbers and have hardly any significance at all, some of the best players in the world have had completely different numbers (ie Zola, Roy Keane, Scholes)

waht about

Zidane - 5

he wears 5 because in RM the 10 is occupied

i always thought it was traditionally:

1 - GK
2 - RB
3 - LB
4 - CM
5 - CB
6 - CB
7 - RB
8 - CM
9 - ST
10 - ST
11 - LM


To me they're just numbers and have hardly any significance at all, some of the best players in the world have had completely different numbers (ie Zola, Roy Keane, Scholes)
some are always the same ... but certain numbers are associated to different positions depending on the culture I have found. 10-4-6 and 8 especially.

Personally I have a lucky number:4 ... as I play centre half it's the designated number for me ... but i always ask for it if i havent been assigned it. Even during a spell playing as a centre forward i proudly wore #4 :rockman:

My number is 17, and has alway been 17.
I don't remeber why, but I started to have it when I was 7.
27 years ago. ;)

http://meijering-paintings.com/IMAGES/GALLERY/details/cruijff.jpg

http://meijering-paintings.com/IMAGES/GALLERY/details/cruijff.jpg

Like his son when he played in Man Utd.=)

It goes right back to the beginnings of when numbers were used on shirts, when the 2-3-5 formation was still used.

1- goalkeeper
2-fullback
3-fullback
4-halfback
5-halfback
6-halfback
7-outside right
8-inside right
9-centre forward
10-inside left
11-outisde left

----------1-----------
------2-------3------
----4----5----6------
--7--8---9--10---11-
or sumthing like that.

This also explains why central defenders are sometimes known as centre-halves and the left and right side defenders are known as fullbacks (a centre half/halves was moved back to play between the existing fullbacks to make 3 or 4 at the back). It also explains why wingers wear 7 and 11, why 9 is the main striker, etc.

Correct ruswilks

here for example are the numbers and lay out of the 1967 Celtic team that won the
European Cup

1.Simpson

2. Craig 5. McNeill 6. Clark 3. Gemmell

4. Murdoch


7. Johnstone 8. Wallace 9. Chalmers 10. Auld 11. Lennox

In Brazil it's like this:

1- GK
2- RB
3- CB
4- CB
5- CM
6- LB
7- RM
8- CM
9- ST
10- ST or AM
11- LM

Main difference is #3 and #6... I have no idea why we have #6 as a left back instead of #3, but that's the way it is...

For Argentina it's the most common like this.

1- GK
2- RCB
3- LWB
4- RWB
5- CM
6- LCB
7- RS
8- RM
9- LS
10- CAM
11- LM

------1
---2-----6
-4----------3
------5
---8-----11
------10
----7----9

Some change 7 for 11.

waht about

Zidane - 5


I think he chose it because it was Di Stefano's number.
(Beckham chose 23 cos of Michael Jordan - Raul was already no7)



Mike

I think he chose it because it was Di Stefano's number.
(Beckham chose 23 cos of Michael Jordan - Raul was already no7)



Mike

Zidane chose the #5 because it was the only number available between the #1 and the #11, and Solari was using the #21.

1. Casillas
2. Salgado
3. R. Carlos
4. F. Hierro
5. free, because Sanchiz retired that year
6. Helguera
7. Raul
8. McManaman
9. Morientes
10. Figo
11. Savio (if i'm not mistaken)

I think he chose it because it was Di Stefano's number.
(Beckham chose 23 cos of Michael Jordan - Raul was already no7)



Mike

Di Stefanos number was 11 and 23 in Real Madrid.

Di Stefanos number was 11 and 23 in Real Madrid.

Oh really, thought I'd read it was 5 when Zidane signed. I stand corrected then.


Mike

http://meijering-paintings.com/IMAGES/GALLERY/details/cruijff.jpg

http://i.cn.cz/2/1069854224_henry-thierry2.jpg

:amika:

For Argentina it's the most common like this.

1- GK
2- RCB
3- LWB
4- RWB
5- CM
6- LCB
7- RS
8- RM
9- LS
10- CAM
11- LM

------1
---2-----6
-4----------3
------5
---8-----11
------10
----7----9

Some change 7 for 11.

didn't Ardilles use nº1 for the national team? in world cup 82 i think... may be wrong, but i'm pretty certain

I prefer... well... 20!

Of course my team only has shirts numbered 1-16 (we're only allowed to have five players on the bench), but when I get to choose I always go for 20.

4 has always been my lucky number so I wear that despite playing right midfield.

What about Darren Huckerby?

4 has always been my lucky number so I wear that despite playing right midfield.
good man :rockman:

Then sometimes you get weird ones: :)

http://www.labandealilian.org/_admin/ftp/maillots/Nikopolidis0405_P1.jpg

By the way, can anyone explain to me why 22 is a popular number for keepers?

Oh really, thought I'd read it was 5 when Zidane signed. I stand corrected then.


Mike


Ferenc Puskas had 10, but I don't know who historic player who had 5.
I heard from another forum that he ranked him self as the 5th best player ever.
1. Maradona
2. Pele
3. Di Stefano
4. Cruyff
5. Zidane
But I don't know if thats the reason.

Franz "The Kaiser" Beckenbauer had the 5 playing libero.

zamorano wore 18 because he wanted 9, but it was taken by ronaldo (at inter)

1+8=9